An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone or unmanned aerial system (UAS) and also referred to as a remotely piloted aircraft, is a flight vehicle without a human pilot aboard. Its path is controlled either autonomously by onboard computers or by the remote control of a pilot on the ground or in another vehicle. Drones have proliferated in number as recognition of their widespread and diverse commercial potential has increased. Numerous industries are embracing drones to improve or streamline day-to-day operations. In addition, a rapidly growing hobbyist community has been inspired by the marvel of owning technology previously accessible only to governments, national agencies, and film producers with creative special effects departments.
With the growing number of active drones, and new applications being imagined every day, legitimate concerns are being raised about risk to civil aviation as well as to lives and property should a drone inadvertently leave its pilot's control. Such a drone can continue flying until it runs out of power or strikes an obstacle, while being completely undetectable and invisible to manned aircraft and ground-based air-traffic control management systems. Currently available drones are not designed to communicate with other fixed or airborne civil aviation safety systems to avoid midair collisions. Thus, there is a need for improved systems and techniques for the safe operation of drones operated in airspace shared with other aircraft.